Abraham Bishop to Thomas Jefferson, 10 October 1805
From Abraham Bishop
Newhaven october 10. 1805.
Sir,
Having been informed that the office of Chief justice of the territory of Michigan is vacant & that application for it will be made in behalf of Jesse Atwater esqe. of this place, I take the liberty of stating to the president—
that Mr Atwater has, of late years, been deprived of his just share of practice, as a lawyer, on account of his republican principles & exertions—that he has a family, to the support of which his income as post master is incompetent—& that his talents, acquired knowlege & manners appear to qualify him for such an office. Mr. Granger will address the President in favor of Mr. Atwater as soon as his health will permit.—
I am, Sir with perfect respect Yr obedient servant
Abrm Bishop
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at head of text: “To the President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 13 Oct. and “Atwater Jesse to be judge Michigan” and so recorded in SJL with a brace connecting it to a letter of the same date from Pierpont Edwards (see Appendix IV).
TJ received a letter from Jesse Atwater, written at New Haven on 10 Oct., that is recorded in SJL as received on 13 Oct. but has not been found.
While a recommendation letter from Gideon Granger to TJ has also not been located, Granger received an undated letter from Atwater requesting that he be considered for the Michigan Territory bench. Atwater claimed that he had so “strongly & openly engaged as the advocate of republican principles at so early a period” that his career had suffered, and he hoped that his sacrifice might supplement his merit for a placement (RC in DNA: RG 59, LAR; endorsed by TJ: “Atwater, J. to G. Granger. law appmt Michigan”).